Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain season hit rock bottom as the team suffered a second consecutive home defeat to Lyon on Sunday. The 1-0 loss marked another low point in an already struggling campaign, with PSG now six points adrift of leaders Lens and Marseille.
The announcement of the starting lineup was met with jeers from some fans, who whistled whenever Messi's name appeared on the screen. This was a far cry from the adoration and worship he received when returning to Argentina for friendlies against Panama and Curaçao as the country celebrated its World Cup win.
Despite Messi's impressive goal contributions – 18 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season, second only to Kylian Mbappé's 38 – coach Christophe Galtier refused to point fingers at the Argentine. "I found it [the jeering] hard to listen to," he said, adding that while Messi tries hard, other players also need to do their jobs.
The team's woes have been exacerbated by its Champions League exit to Bayern Munich last month. PSG has lost two of its three matches since then and only managed a narrow win against relegation-threatened Brest with a late Kylian Mbappé winner.
The season-defining week ahead for PSG is set to be a make-or-break period, with the team facing an unbeaten Nice side and hosting Lens at the Parc des Princes. The pressure is mounting, and it remains to be seen if coach Galtier's side can turn their fortunes around.
Lyon head coach Laurent Blanc attributed PSG's struggles to the "Champions League or bust mentality", saying that when the top objective becomes unattainable, the season no longer matters at all. For PSG, that mentality seems to be a major obstacle to overcome if they are to have any hope of salvaging their season.
The announcement of the starting lineup was met with jeers from some fans, who whistled whenever Messi's name appeared on the screen. This was a far cry from the adoration and worship he received when returning to Argentina for friendlies against Panama and Curaçao as the country celebrated its World Cup win.
Despite Messi's impressive goal contributions – 18 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season, second only to Kylian Mbappé's 38 – coach Christophe Galtier refused to point fingers at the Argentine. "I found it [the jeering] hard to listen to," he said, adding that while Messi tries hard, other players also need to do their jobs.
The team's woes have been exacerbated by its Champions League exit to Bayern Munich last month. PSG has lost two of its three matches since then and only managed a narrow win against relegation-threatened Brest with a late Kylian Mbappé winner.
The season-defining week ahead for PSG is set to be a make-or-break period, with the team facing an unbeaten Nice side and hosting Lens at the Parc des Princes. The pressure is mounting, and it remains to be seen if coach Galtier's side can turn their fortunes around.
Lyon head coach Laurent Blanc attributed PSG's struggles to the "Champions League or bust mentality", saying that when the top objective becomes unattainable, the season no longer matters at all. For PSG, that mentality seems to be a major obstacle to overcome if they are to have any hope of salvaging their season.
... I mean, Messi's still scoring goals like a pro and all, but it feels like the whole squad is just phoning it in 
. They can't even beat Lyon at home? That's demoralizing. And now they're facing Nice and Lens? This could be the end of their season 
... coach Galtier needs to step up his game ASAP 
. I feel like he's trying to shift the blame, but it's hard to see how that's going to work when Messi's still producing on the pitch 
... maybe Lyon's right, this "Champions League or bust" mentality is killing them? 
. The jeering from fans was harsh but fair, imo 
. Galtier needs to take responsibility for the team's performance instead of making excuses 
... I mean, Messi has been doing his thing on the field, scoring goals and assisting like crazy, but still can't seem to get a win at home 
... Coach Galtier needs to take responsibility for the team's struggles, imo 
... I don't think "Champions League or bust mentality" is an excuse for their poor form, they should've done better before and during the competition 
️... Nice and Lens are gonna come at them hard next week and it'll be a real test of their skills 
he's still putting in the work, but it's not like he can win every game single-handedly 
coach galtier needs to make some tough decisions and change his tactics ASAP 
maybe they should switch to a more attacking style of play, something that'll get ppl excited again 
i feel bad for him, he's been carrying the team on his back all season but it just isn't translating into wins 
. Messi's still putting out quality performances, but the rest of the squad needs to step up 
. The whole "Champions League or bust mentality" thing from Blanc makes sense though... if you're too focused on just winning one trophy, you forget about the rest of the season 
️ and get his players working together like a well-oiled machine 
. Otherwise, it's gonna be a long summer for PSG... 
they were supposed to be dominating the league now but it seems like everyone's expectations have dropped 
and maybe, just maybe, they can turn things around in the next few weeks 
. It's crazy how the fans turned on Messi like that 
. Maybe they can learn from Blanc's comment and focus on the present instead of getting too caught up in the bigger picture 
The Champions League exit was a major setback, but I still think PSG has what it takes to turn it around. 
I cant even believe whats happening with PSG this season 
Coach Galtier needs to take responsibility for the team's performance, its not all on Messi's shoulders 
And whats with this "Champions League or bust mentality" 
. And yeah, that "Champions League or bust" mentality does sound like it's getting in the way 
!
. And coach Galtier is right, other players need to step up their game too, not just rely on Messi to carry the team all by himself. It's like they're forgetting that it's a team sport 
.
.
And yeah, the jeering was kinda harsh, but come on, it's not like they're going to win the whole thing or something 
like can't even celebrate messi's genius goals anymore! 
this season is getting more dramatic by the day 
.
. coach galtier needs to step up his game and sort out this squad ASAP